


blinking in the starlight

by rosamund_mary



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Disney World & Disneyland, Falling in love with your roommate, Fireworks, Friends to Lovers, Karaoke, M/M, Side Niall/Jade, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 10:16:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6850729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosamund_mary/pseuds/rosamund_mary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ed leans forward towards Louis with his arms on his knees. “You’ve got a crush on him.”</p><p>Louis looks down into his lap as he feels his face blush red, but he doesn’t deny it. He bites his lip and carefully meets Ed’s eyes.</p><p>“Is it that obvious?”</p><p>Louis collapses on his bed and listens to Harry’s Mickey Mouse clock tick from the other side of the room. He can’t help as his chest swells with affection for the curly headed boy and Louis wonders not for the first time if he’s going to survive this internship after all.</p><p>--</p><p>Or Harry and Louis fall in love while working in the happiest place on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	blinking in the starlight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DuchessKitty16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DuchessKitty16/gifts).



> Firstly, I would just like to say that this story has become my baby. I decided to pinch-hit for the exchange at the last minute and I'm sure glad that I did. 
> 
> Thank you to S for being my beta and my friend. You're great, never change.
> 
> Also thank you to the few people on tumblr that gave me encouragement, even when they needed it themselves.
> 
> And finally, for DuchessKitty16, I truly hope you enjoy this. Their original prompt that I went with was "AU describing the events that led to Ed Sheeran writing "Friends" and "18" for Harry and Louis."
> 
> Let the magic begin!

Louis prides himself on being a mama’s boy. He's so proud, in fact, he retweeted the Buzzfeed article highlighting the 15 signs you’re a momma’s boy and added two more reasons. He loves her to the end of the universe and back again and would do anything for her and she for him.

Right now, however, he really would love for his mother to go. His family had come along for his move to Florida to take a vacation right before his internship started in the Disney College Program but now he is itching to be on his own.

The girls had been delighted to spend the last three days running around the parks that Louis would soon call his workplace. The eldest of his sisters Lottie had claimed that Disney was for babies and she was too old to have fun. Half way through the first day, Lottie had sidled up to Louis and told him maybe he wasn’t so weird for wanting to work here after all. Louis just smirked at her and credited the win to Disney magic.

All four of Louis’ younger sisters were now running wild around his apartment. They had been staying in a hotel to accommodate the six of them and all Louis’ bags sat untouched in his room. He was mildly concerned that his sisters were dumping them all over the floor.

He watched as silent tears rolled down his mother’s face as she put away the last of the groceries. They had gone to the store across the street this morning as Jay’s final parting gift to him. Louis loves his mom so much.

“I promise I’ll call you everyday,” Louis says. She nods and wipes away her tears. “You guys will barely even notice I’m gone! Plus I’ll send the girls presents for their birthdays!” He adds. “We both know they need more official Frozen merchandise. The discount is the real reason I’ve taken this job, you know,” Louis whispers.

Jay cracks a smile and she opens her arms for her son. He curls into her instantly and holds her as they sway back and forth in the kitchen.

“I’m just going to miss you, Boo,” she sighs. “You’re all grown up and out of the house. Except for your new house just has to be one thousand miles away from me.”

“1,341 miles. I mapped it,” Louis corrects.

“Of course you did, love,” Jay laughs.

They break apart when they hear a thump and a crash coming from Louis’ bedroom. Jay rolls her eyes and yells for the girls to collect their bags. The cab would be arriving soon to take them back to the airport.

“Girls come say goodbye to Louis! We’re leaving the moment the taxi comes, we can’t miss our flight!”

The taxi arrives and Louis helps the girls haul their bags down the stairs of his second floor apartment. He helps the cabbie load the bags into the back of the van and shakes his hand politely.

His sisters all crowd around him in one final group hug with only a few tears from the youngest girls. He helps them all into the van with a kiss on the forehead for each of them and shuts the sliding passenger door.

His mom wraps him in another hug and kisses his nose and his forehead as she’s done for all his 21 years.

“I love you, Louis, and I’m so proud,” she whispers to him.

“I love you too, mummy,” he says back quietly. He refuses to let his eyes get misty. Jay climbs into the front seat of the van and then they’re pulling away from the curb. Louis watches and waves until they turn and he can no longer see them.

He takes a steadying breath and breathes it out. He heads back upstairs to start unpacking his suitcases. The next great adventure awaits him.

☆☆☆

Harry opens the door to his new apartment and promptly drops everything that he is carrying. A boy with shaggy brown hair and sharp cheekbones looks up from where he’s watching TV from the middle of the living room floor.

The boy raises an eyebrow at Harry and smiles. Harry feels his face heat up red.

“Oops. Um, Hi? I’m Harry,” he says with a nervous wave.

“I’m Louis,” the boy smiles back.

“Guess that makes you my new roommate,” Harry says.

“Appears so. Need any help there?”

“Um, if you don’t mind? That would actually be great.”

Louis hops up off the floor and comes over towards Harry. He picks up one of the suitcases Harry had dropped upon entering.

“The room’s this way, c’mon,” Louis says, heading off down the hallway to the right. Harry follows him and is met with a room with two single beds, two night stands and two dressers set up in a mirror image.

Harry drops his larger suitcase by the floor of the empty bed and takes off his backpack. He looks around the room that already has a few posters up on Louis’ side of the room. Most notably a collage of pictures on a bulletin board.

Louis sits on his own bed and crosses his legs underneath him. “It’s not much but it’s cozy. Did your parents come with you to drop you off?”

Harry nods his head. “My mom flew in with me but then caught another flight to Paris, so she didn’t even leave the airport. My sister had to go back to school and my dad is working. Is your family here?”

Louis smiles and shakes his head. “My mum and my sisters all came over the weekend and we did the parks. They just left a few hours ago because the girls start school again Monday. They were all pouting about going back to the snow when it’s sunny and 70 degrees here in January!”

“Where you from, then?” Harry asks him as he starts to unpack his suitcases. Or he makes the effort. He unzips it.

“Boston. You?”

“New York,” Harry smiles.

The two of them trade small anecdotes about their lives, Louis talks about his four little sisters and his friends as he shows Harry pictures from the weekend and the ones he has printed on his board. Harry learns that Louis is majoring in drama. Wants to open a theatre company. Harry tells him about majoring in hospitality management and his cat Dusty.

“I almost accepted an internship in Vancouver at the hotel but I took this instead,” Harry says off-handedly

“Oh really?”

“My dad wasn’t exactly thrilled I was spending 6 months in Disney World instead of ‘actually working,’ whatever that means,” Harry rolled his eyes.

Harry thinks back to when he had decided to apply for the college program. It had been after a particularly awful week of exams in all his hospitality classes on top working in his father’s hotel in New York. He came upon the application by accident and then applied as a joke. It wasn’t until he got an email detailing his acceptance that he began to consider spending the spring in Florida. Harry had consulted his older sister Gemma about what she would do and by the end of the conversation with her he had accepted his position in the DCP.

“And when you say _the hotel_ you mean…”

“Oh, um yeah. My parents own Styles Hotels. There’s a few in some major cities. New York, London, Chicago, DC, Seattle, Vancouver, I think there’s one in Boston too,” Harry smiles sheepishly at Louis.

“Big ornate high rise building with chandeliers and valet?”

“That’s it.”

“Then yep, I’ve heard of them!” Louis laughs. He lays back on his bed and opens a game on his phone while Harry unpacks.

“So, Harry Styles. Any more family business secrets I should know? Are you also a prince in disguise? Should we write you your own Disney movie?”

Harry giggles. “Not necessary, but thank you. Only if Disney’s ready to make me their first gay prince.”

If there was a protocol about how to come out to your brand new roommate, Harry trampled all over it and threw all caution to the wind. He had a feeling Louis wasn’t going to be the type to judge, but he was still watching him out of the corner of his eye to gauge his reaction.

Louis briefly looked up from his phone and flicked a wrist towards Harry’s dresser. “With all your fancy clothes you’d be more than perfect for the part, my darling, but I bet I could be your competition.”

That settles that then. Harry grins.

“You do have some lovely swoopy hair, Louis,” he comments to settle his nerves. Things that no one told you when you realized you were gay: coming out to someone new is always slightly terrifying, even when you know the outcome will be positive. He swallows the small lump to rid the dryness in his throat.

“Thanks!”

A moment of pleasant silence passed before a ginger boy popped his head into the doorway. “Hey Lou,” he greets before noticing Harry. “You must be Harry. I’m Ed, I live in the other room with Niall.”

“Nice to meet you Ed,” Harry shook his hand after Ed came into the room and sat on Louis’ bed.

They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting as Harry unpacked his bags. Harry finds that he and Louis are both in Hollywood Studios while Ed will be in Epcot.

“I briefly considered bribing someone to not be placed in Animal Kingdom. I’d rather be in foodservice than be in the sun all day. I’d literally fry to a crisp,” Ed laughs, pinching at his pale skin.

“I didn’t mind where they put me, but I’m secretly excited! The shows and atmosphere of studios is just like being in LA. Or at least I'm guessing it is, haven't actually been there,” Louis shrugs.

“I actually had to did call to have my placement changed…” Harry bit his lip and didn’t look at either of them.

“Did you really? I didn’t think you could do that?” Louis said with a frown. “Why did you do that?”

“Well whoever was in charge of the placements must have looked at my name and recognized it, or thought it was funny. They were going to have me at the Polynesian. Hotel staff.” I had to go through an appeal about how it would be more beneficial to have experience outside of a hotel and with customers in the parks.”

The other two boys were giving him strange looks. Harry suddenly felt even more like the spoiled rich kid that he had been trying not to be.

“I just wanted to do something that doesn’t directly involve a hotel. I couldn’t stand it if this experience wasn’t anything different than what I would have gotten just staying in New York. I wanted to do something new, even just for once.”

“No, hey, I get it. We’re not judging you. That’s really cool that you were able to get that done,” Louis says nicely.

“Thanks,” Harry replies quietly. “Besides. I’m in Studios now, too. So we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

Louis grins. “Sounds like fun, Styles. Now forgive me, but is that an X-box because I saw in the bottom of that bag over there? I was dying to bring mine but my sisters use it for a DVD player and I was outvoted.”

Harry grins and nods his head. “Absolutely. Want to play FIFA?”

“I’m going to wipe the floor with you. Let’s hook it up in the living room.”

☆☆☆

Four hours, two pizzas and several rounds of FIFA later, Ed is watching as Louis and Harry throw pieces of popcorn into each other’s open mouths in front of the abandoned video game. Most of the pieces missing, to Ed’s dismay, but his roommates laughs were contagious and he’s having fun. Their fourth roommate Niall had come in half an hour after the first round had started and played with them up until ten minutes ago to call his mom.

Ed watches them with a small smile for a few more seconds before standing and gathering his empty plates and soda cans to hopefully convince them to clean. After taking the mess to the kitchen he returns to them huddled closely side by side on their stomachs watching Youtube videos on Harry’s phone.

“Well not to interrupt your bonding session,” Ed starts to say. Both Louis and Harry look up at him and dawn guilty looks, like they hadn’t realized he was still here. Ed smirks at them. “I’m going to bed now. Clean up the popcorn before we get ants,” he scolds them gently.

Louis rolls his eyes and flips over onto his back, away from Harry. “Yeah, yeah Ginger Mother, we’ll clean it up. See you in the morning bright and early! Nighty night!” Louis says, blowing a kiss to Ed.

Harry looks from Ed to Louis and back to Ed like he realizes that he was giving all his attention to Louis. Ed can tell he was about to apologize and he quickly cuts him off before he can.

“Whatever you say, Louis. Glad that you both get along so well. It’ll be nice to have fun roommates. Night, guys.”

Ed goes to his room and talks with Niall for a bit before getting ready for bed. He can still hear Louis and Harry talking and laughing, even as they took out the broom and dustpan from the closet. He had a feeling that the two of them would be interesting roommates to live with indeed.

☆☆☆

Turns out Louis and Harry get along great. It’s only been a week but the two of them find that they enjoy spending their free time together. Harry thinks it’s crazy how well the two get along despite Disney being one of their only common interests. They like similar music, but not all the same bands. They like sports, but Harry likes golf and football (American football! Louis yells) while Louis likes soccer (REAL football, Styles!) and hockey, and they have a moment when Louis says his mum is from England and calls it football.

“Wait, your mom is British?” Harry says suddenly, pausing the FIFA game.

“Yeah, and my dad technically. But my parents weren’t ever together and my mum moved to Boston when she met my step-dad and that’s where I was born. Never set foot on English soil,” Louis explains.

“My dad is English, too,” Harry says, a bit awe-stricken. Louis’ eyes widen so Harry elaborates. “They met when my mom was doing a study abroad in London. My grandfather owned the hotel my mom was staying in at the time and my dad was living there. They started up their own business and the first hotel they started is in London. I was born in London and have dual citizenship, but I moved to New York with my mom when I was about 2,” Harry explains. “My older sister was around 5 and starting school so my mom wanted us to be closer to her family. My dad followed after her. We go to London in the summer to see our grandparents there.”

“It truly is a small world,” Louis teases. He regrets it when Harry starts humming the song.

“Stop that, you curly headed puppet! It’ll be stuck in my head for hours!” Louis shouts over him.

Harry laughs and Louis finds himself smiling too.

“I wonder if we could have met in London in some alternate version of our lives. We’d both be at the same university or I’d accidentally steal your coffee at a cafe thinking it was mine,” Harry wonders aloud.

“That would never happen,” Louis scoffs and Harry frowns.

“I hate coffee. You’d steal it but the drink would be tea,” he continues and Harry’s frown is replaced with dimples.

Louis smiles at him and Harry starts humming the Small World theme song again. Louis covers his ears and nudges Harry with his feet in an effort to make him stop singing.

They’re both laughing and shouting and don’t notice when Ed and Niall walk in the front door. Niall instantly launches into the song with Harry while Ed gives Louis a sympathetic solemn nod and heads for the kitchen. Ed takes a soda out of the fridge and retreats to the armchair in the corner where his guitar is propped against the wall. He picks it up and absently starts to strum a pretty melody.

“Wanna play FIFA Niall?” Harry asks, offering him his own controller.

“Nah, I actually have a date tonight,” Niall replies.

“Way to go, Nialler! Who is it?” Louis asks.

“Girl named Jade. We’re both training for Space Mountain and she’s in my seminar class. We’re going out for dinner and to play mini golf.” Niall puts air quotes around the words mini golf and shakes his head. Harry figured that the sports enthusiast in him is probably dying at the notion of miniaturizing a perfectly decent game.

“Maybe you’ll get in a few good swings, eh buddy?” Louis says suggestively.

Harry promptly swats his shoulder. “Don’t be rude, Lou. Jade is probably a very nice girl and deserves respect.”

“Yeah, you’re right Harry sorry,” Louis says immediately. He turns to Niall and puts on a stern face and deep voice. “Now I don’t want any funny business, young man. Hands above the waist at all times and home before 10.”

Harry giggles and covers his face with his hand. He hadn’t meant to giggle and now Niall as looking at Harry with narrowed eyes.

“Whatever you say, Lou, but the same goes for you two,” Niall says, pointing between him and Louis.

“We literally are home, you nutter,” Louis says quickly.

“I meant the hands above the waist at all times. No funny business around here, young men!” Niall says mockingly.

Harry watches Louis’ face go red and how he doesn’t dish out a comeback. Instead he pulls his phone out of his pocket and opens his messaging app. Harry bites his lip and tries not to worry about the reaction to Niall’s teasing.

“Have a good time Niall,” Harry says, trying to break the tension. Niall seems to notice and he laughs, clapping a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“Thanks, buddy. I’ll let you know how it goes. I just gotta grab a jacket and then I’m out. See you guys later!” Niall says, running to his room to fetch his jacket and then he’s gone out the front door.

Harry thinks about how to address the weird tension between them leftover from Niall’s insinuations. Instead Louis changes the subject.

“You know what I really want? Tacos. Wanna go get some tacos with me, Harold?” Louis asks abruptly.

Harry blinks but nods. “Sure. Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Great, Ed you want anything?”

Ed shakes his head while staring hard at Louis, who retreats to his room. Harry sits and thinks about how that encounter became so weird. Either Louis is put off by the notion of doing naughty things with Harry and is just too polite to say so, or it’s the opposite. And Harry hasn’t had time to figure out which.

“So Ed says he doesn’t want anything, so it’s just you and me! Let’s go, Curly!” Louis says, stuffing his feet into a pair of Converse by the door.

Harry waves goodbye to Ed who gives them both a solute and continues to pick at his guitar strings. Harry slips into his boots and checks for his keys and wallet before he’s following Louis out the door and down the stairs, all while wondering what could be going on in Louis’ head.

 

The two take a bus to Downtown Disney where they buy tacos off of the food trucks parked around in a semi circle. They’re sitting at a high top table with their feet dangling and listening to an acoustic group cover pop songs.

Louis swings his feet and nudges Harry’s leg. Harry looks up from chewing and catches Louis’ eyes.

“Sorry about being weird earlier with Niall. He kind of embarrassed me when I was trying to embarrass him so I guess joke was on me,” Louis laughs nervously.

Harry considers him for a moment, looking down at his own plate.

“That’s alright. Why were you embarrassed though? Of me?”

“No, not of you! Honestly I was embarrassed because he said that _in front_ of you. We’re still new friends and I wasn’t ready for him to pin us together just because we’re both gay.”

“I don’t mind, Louis, really. I think you’re great and I’d be honored to be part of the stereotyped gay-roommates-hooking-up cliche with you,” Harry jokes and he sees Louis perk up slightly.

“Well, good. Because I have a feeling we are going to be at the receiving end of a lot of penis jokes. Pun intended.”

Harry’s loud laughter attracts a few looks from passers by but neither him nor Louis pay them any mind.

“I’m really glad that you’re my roommate Louis,” Harry says.

“Yeah, me too, Curly.”

Harry catches the grateful smile Louis sends him and takes another bite of his taco.

☆☆☆

Things continue much in the same way. Harry and Louis spend all their free time together.

It’s bright and early on February 1st and Louis thinks that it is entirely unacceptable for it to be this cold. Harry is by his side on the bus to work in the park, both of them bundled in sweatshirts.

“Why is it so fucking cold? I thought Florida was supposed to be warm all the time?” Louis complains.

“I think it’s nice. Reminds me a bit of being at home. Also I’m enjoying it while it lasts, soon enough it’ll be ugly, hot and humid,” Harry reasons.

Louis grumbles but leans his head onto Harry’s shoulder. It’s a small habit he’s formed whenever they both have an opening morning shift and can take the bus together. Louis huddles close to Harry, claiming that he needs the body heat in order not to freeze to death. Harry obliges and wraps an arm around his shoulder.

They sit comfortably like this, Louis with his eyes closed and breathing in the scent of Harry. That is, until Harry’s phone is vibrating in his jacket pocket against Louis’ cheek.

Harry mumbles out a quick apology and reaches for his phone. Louis sneaks a glance at the screen to see that it’s Harry’s mother calling. She usually calls on Saturday afternoons so Louis wonders why she would be calling at 6:30am on a Monday.

Harry answers with a low greeting and Louis watches his face carefully. Harry’s face is turning pink so Louis leans his head onto Harry’s shoulder to listen in. Harry accommodates for him and turns the phone for Louis to hear the end of a slightly off key rendition of happy birthday.

“ _Happy birthday dear Harry, happy birthday to you!”_

Louis watches Harry as he talks quietly with his mum for a minute. He says _thank you_ approximately 8 times before they exchange goodbyes. Harry is a light shade of pink and he won’t meet Louis’ eyes, instead looking down at his fingernails.

“Harry,” Louis says quietly. Harry looks up at Louis, green eyes shy from underneath his eyelashes. “Why didn’t you tell me it’s your birthday?”

“I dunno,” he says, shrugging a shoulder. “Guess I didn’t wanna make a big deal out of it. I knew I couldn’t get off work so might as well not mention.”

“That’s silly, Harry. Everyone should be celebrated on their birthday! Take it from someone who’s birthday is Christmas Eve: birthdays are important holidays! I have to tell everyone! HEY EVERYO-”

Louis had stood up on the bus but Harry quickly yanks him down again with a hand over his mouth.

“It’s fine, really Lou. I’m alright without a fancy party or whatever. Please don’t fuss over me.”

Louis stares at him, unconvinced, but sighs and relents after Harry pouts his bottom lip at him.

“If you say so, Curly. It’s your day.”

“Thanks, Lou.”

Harry brings his arm around Louis’ shoulder and Louis hugs around Harry’s middle. It’s slightly awkward the way that they’re still sitting on a bus, but Louis relishes the contact.

 

Not long after they’re arriving at the cast member entrance to the park and heading off to their separate areas. It’s early and the fog is still low between the buildings. The air doesn’t even smell like popcorn yet. Harry turns towards The attraction he's working today but Louis grabs his arm before he can get too far. He takes his hand and gives it a kiss, bowing dramatically.

“Have a happy birthday, Prince Harry,” Louis says in his best Disney Prince voice. “And may all your dreams come true.”

Harry’s face turns a pretty red as he blushes with his dimples on full display. A few other cast members nearby give them strange looks but Louis figures he doesn't know them anyway.

“Thanks, Lou. I’ll see you later,” Harry says and carefully pulls his hand out of Louis’ grasp before scurrying away down the path. Louis grins and skips off towards The Great Movie ride with a jump in his step.

 

“Now once these doors open, you will rise dramatically to your feet, and make a grand exit directly to the rear of the vehicle. Oh, one more thing, when I yell ‘Action!’, don't forget the thunderous applause for your tour guide - me! Places, everybody! And… _Action!_

The guests in Louis’ car all applaud happily until the automatic doors open and they are ushered off the ride. Louis lets out a sigh of relief as he sees his replacement coming up to take the driver’s seat of the lead car. Louis smiles at him gratefully and heads to the break room to clock out, ready to go home.

“You’re extra smiley and giggly today!” Perrie greets him as he gathers his things. Her blonde hair is straightened and hanging around her face.

Louis shrugs his shoulders. “Must just really love my job, dear Perrie!”

“Well I heard from Jade that Liam said he saw you do something very interesting this morning,” she says, waggling her eyebrows.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Louis says, ignoring her as he takes off his uniform top and throws on a plain black t-shirt.

“Don’t play coy, Louis Tomlinson! Liam saw you kissing Harry’s hand this morning and absolutely _everyone_ is talking about it!” She whisper-yells.

“Oh, is that why people are smirking at me? I thought they all thought I was looking devilishly handsome today,” he replies. Louis mentally congratulates himself for keeping his cool while his heart is fluttering in his chest with the knowledge that people were gossiping about him. Or more accurately gossiping about him and Harry. Together.

“Is there something going on there?” Perrie asks. She’s twirling her hair around her dainty finger in an attempt to look innocent enough to gain his trust. He mentally thanks his four younger sisters for helping him resist the doe-eyed plea for what she wants.

Louis looks around to see if anyone is near them or listening. There are a few other cast members strewn about the room but no one he knows enough to care about what he says.

“Mmm wouldn’t you like to know! Gotta go, have a nice shift!” Louis skips away towards the exit and turns back to see Perrie shaking her head at him, but she’s smiling so he figures he’s off the hook; at least for now.

Louis’ work day had ended at 4pm today and Harry isn’t off until 6 so Louis decides to catch the bus home instead of waiting like he sometimes does. After his conversation with Perrie he had been able to dodge all his friends that looked like they wanted to interrogate him about the day’s gossip. It occurs to him that if he has been fielding questions all day then Harry probably didn’t get off scot-free either.

He’s sitting in a window seat on the bus wearing his headphones when someone sits beside him and yanks the buds out of his ears.

He has the beginnings of a sassy speech about respect on the tip of his tongue when he sees Liam giving him a big goofy smile.

“You look much too excited, Payno,” Louis says in lieu of a greeting.

“I’m just glad to see you, that’s all! I’ve been dying to speak to you all day!”

Louis raises an eyebrow.

“Alright let’s talk, Liam. You’ve been spreading rumors about Harry and me today.”

“Well, can you blame me! You were practically kissing right in the middle of the park! That’s the most interesting thing to happen around here in weeks!”

“We were not kissing!” Louis hisses, “I was just saying goodbye!”

Liam gives him a dubious look.

“Looked a bit much for just a goodbye, man. So is he your boyfriend or something?”

“Congratulations on the frankness of the question, Liam, I didn’t think you’d be so bold,” Louis counters. “And to answer that question, no. He’s not my boyfriend. I was just trying to make him laugh cause it’s his birthday and he had to work all day, but thanks for telling the entire college program that we’re dating, really appreciate that one.”

Liam has the good sense to look embarrassed and he grimaces at Louis. “Sorry bro. Guess I could have asked,” Liam apologizes.

“That’s alright, people gossip. If it hadn’t been you I’m sure someone would have brought it up. Our roommate Ed is always saying that we aren’t the typical ‘friends,’ whatever that means,” Louis gestures wildly in the air.

“Yeah, you could say that again!” Liam laughs. Louis shoots him a glare and Liam changes the subject.

“So what’d you get him?” he asks Louis.

“Get who?”

“Harry, you idiot! You said it’s his birthday so what did you get him?”

“Oh. Well, nothing? I only just found out this morning ‘cause he didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t really have time to get him anything,” Louis mutters defensively.

“I mean, you usually get your boyfriend presents for his birthday even if it’s last minute” Liam reasons.

“Not my boyfriend!” Louis reminds him but Liam ignores him.

“Even just a card or a cake would probably be good. You said yourself he didn’t tell anyone,” Liam says.

The bus comes to a stop and Louis looks up to see they’re in front of their apartment complex. Liam stands and gathers his bag. “Good luck with the last minute presents, Louis! Tell Harry I said happy birthday!”

Louis waves at Liam and clambers to gather his bag. He doesn’t even bother going up to the apartment before he runs to the grocery store across the street.

☆☆☆

It’s well past dark outside when Harry finally trudges up the stairs to his apartment on the evening of his 19th birthday. He had been asked to stay on until park closing and then the bus had gotten stuck in traffic. He’s tired, sore and only wants to shower and crawl into his bed. He gets to his door and fumbles with his keys before he can find the right one.

He gets the front door unlocked and slips inside, carefully taking off his shoes and setting his backpack down by the door. He walks into the living room and finds Louis asleep. His eyes linger over the sleeping boy who has his brow furrowed and his mouth slightly parted, puffing out soft breaths every time he exhales. Harry’s eyes linger over him, wondering why he’s on the couch instead of asleep in his bed.

He finds the answer to his question left out on the kitchen table. Harry walks over and gently tugs a card out from an envelope, which was propped up on a box of donuts. The card is bright pink with the words “ _Happy Birthday, Princess!"_  glittering across the front. Harry giggles and Louis makes a sound from the couch, but doesn’t seem to wake.

Harry opens the card and bites his lip to keep from smiling too hard. The printed text in the card was swirling around a shiny pink plastic tiara that popped out of the card for the recipient to wear.

_Wishing you a royally wonderful birthday_

_May all your dreams come true!_

 

_Happy birthday Harry! :) :) :) Sincerely, Louis_

 

Harry let out a sigh he hadn’t realized he was holding in. He looked over at the couch and found Louis sitting up, rubbing his bleary blue eyes.

“Happy birthday, Curly,” the boy says through a yawn. “Sorry I fell asleep. Was trying to surprise you.”

Harry’s heart nearly flutters out of his chest. Louis pushes the blanket off his lap and pads over to the table, standing in front of Harry. With both of them barefoot Louis stands a few inches shorter than Harry and Harry finds himself looking down to look into Louis’ eyes. Harry gently sets the card on the table and opens his arms to Louis, silently asking for a hug. Louis curls into Harry’s arms and Harry lays his head on Louis’ shoulder.

“Thank you for the card and treats, Louis. You really didn’t have to do that,” Harry murmurs.

“Course I did. Told you that everyone deserves to feel special on their birthday,” Louis replies easily.

Harry laughs and breaks the hug. He opens the box of donuts and offers one to Louis. The two sit together at the kitchen table eating sprinkle donuts at 11pm.

“You know you could have just told me that we were dating,” Harry says suddenly. “Or at least according to Liam Payne and half of Hollywood Studios we are.” He watches Louis roll his eyes and pull a face.

“You try to do one nice thing for your pal and half of the entire staff of the park starts a gossip mill. I’m sorry if people were bugging you about me today,” Louis says. He doesn’t lift his eyes from the table, tracing the grain of the wood with his fingers.

“It’s alright Lou,” Harry laughs. “I wasn’t bothered. Told them all it was my birthday and no one took it seriously.”

“I thought you didn’t want anyone to know!” Louis exclaims.

“Thought about what you said, and I realized I felt kind of silly for not telling you guys,” Harry tells him. “Plus side was my shift supervisor bought me a cookie! But I’m really happy you thought of me.”

Louis smiles at him softly. “Anytime, Curly. I don’t know about you but I’m absolutely exhausted. Heading to bed, birthday boy?”

Harry shakes his head no. “You go ahead, I’m going to have a shower. Too sweaty to sleep.”

“That’s hot,” Louis wiggles his eyebrows.

“Shut up,” Harry laughs. “Night, Lou.”

They both stand and hug one more time. Louis goes towards their room and leaves the door cracked. By the time Harry is out of the shower and dressed in a t-shirt and boxers Louis is already asleep facing the wall with the duvet around his shoulders. Harry relaxes into his sheets and falls asleep quickly, thinking about how lucky he is to have found Louis.

☆☆☆

The next morning Ed walks into the kitchen to find Niall at the table eating a donut and reading a bright pink card.

“What on earth are you doing?” He asks.

“Apparently it was Harry’s birthday and he only told Louis,” Niall mumbles with a mouthful of donut while showing Ed the card.

“Huh,” Ed mumbles, reading the card. “Wonder why he didn’t tell us,” Ed says. He takes a donut from the box and sits at the table with Niall.

They look at each other for a few moments before speaking at the same time.

“I wonder if they are…”

“Niall, do you think that they…”

“Nah.”

“No way.”

Niall looks less sure the longer that they sit together with the notable absence of both of the roommates in question. Ed finds himself rethinking all the interactions that he’s observed between the two of them.

“They would tell us, right?” He asks Niall.

“Absolutely. They would,” the blonde boy assures. 

The silence between them stretches for a few minutes until Louis wanders into the kitchen, black t-shirt askew off of one of his shoulders and his plaid pajama pants low on his hips.

“Morning men,” he mumbles lazily, reaching for the tea pot. He begins to fill it and Niall raises an eyebrow at Ed and gestures back at Louis. Ed nods his head slightly in a silent agreement with Niall.

“Saw that you and Harry were keeping a little secret from us, buddy,” Ed says. He watches Louis’ shoulders tense as he drops a tea bag into his mug, not turning to face them.

“Not really a secret, just a birthday card for my roommate,” Louis says. “And you obviously read it. If it was a secret we would have just hid it in our room.”

“So you confirm that you’re hiding things in the privacy of your own room?” Niall challenges.

“Shut up, you dickbag,” Louis snips at Niall. Louis takes a sip from his tea and recoils quickly, still being too hot to drink. “Me and Harry are just friends and we’re going to stay friends. If by some chance that we both decided that it would be anything else - strong IF there, my friends - I would tell you. It’s our unwritten roommate pact, okay?”

Niall still looks unconvinced but there isn’t much more to say on the matter. Niall stands from the table and goes over to Louis, shaking his hand and then licking the side of his face. “I’ll hold you to that, Tomlinson. Thanks for the donuts!”

“Ew gross, you heathen! Get out, go to work!” Louis pushes Niall away from him, the blonde boy cackling as he heads down the hall to his and Ed’s shared bathroom to take a shower.

Louis finally meets Ed’s eyes and sticks his tongue out at him. Ed returns the gesture and gets up to pour himself his own cup of tea. “You know we would be okay with it,” Ed says casually. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”

“Not that there’s any reason I would need your approval, but I really appreciate the sentiment,” Louis says. 

 Later on after Harry gets home from work and Louis is throwing jelly beans at his head, he suddenly remembers Ed's comments. Then Harry is tossing the jelly beans in the air in an attempt to juggle them. He really doesn't know what he's doing, but at least they're having fun while they're doing it.

☆☆☆

The thing is, Harry knows that his friendship with Louis is unusual. They get along seamlessly, and have from the word go. He had never had to share a room with anyone before and before Louis he had been nervous about having a roommate. Now he’s having a hard time remembering how he used to get to sleep without listening to Louis’ snuffling snores from the other side of the room.

Harry loves his other roommates too, of course, but it’s different with Louis. Sharing their sleeping space has lent itself to sharing other aspects of their life. Take food for instance. In the short time since he’s known Louis, Harry can attest that though he may try, Louis is not a natural born chef. Last week Louis had attempted to make pancakes. The result was two burnt lumps resembling scrambled eggs, instead of the fluffy golden cakes they were meant to be. The kitchen air felt heavy with the stench of burning pancake batter. Louis groaned as he dumped the monstrosity that was going to be their breakfast in the trash. Harry had stifled his laughter and made them omelets instead.

So when Harry makes spaghetti for dinner one night it’s only natural that he makes Louis a plate as well. They are just sitting down with their steaming plates when Ed comes in. His red hair is wild, sticking up in several different directions from sweat and the heat. Ed pulls out the chair across from Louis and collapses into it, stealing his plate of spaghetti as well.

“Excuse me but I do believe that’s mine!” Louis reaches for the plate but Ed guards it protectively.

“Shut up Louis, Harry made this and it’s as much mine as it is yours,” Ed tells him around a mouth full of meatball.

“Well you didn’t have to steal mine! You could have made your own perfectly new plate!” Louis says, gesturing towards the large pot of spaghetti on the stove. Harry may be a decent cook but estimating pasta portions still escapes him.

“I didn’t eat at all today, you can get up and get another plate,” Ed says.

Louis scoffs, offended by the idea of having to get up and go all the way to the kitchen - which is an entire four steps to the left - to make another plate. Instead he scoots his chair closer to Harry’s and leans his head on his shoulder.

“Curly?” Louis bats his eyelashes and Harry rolls his eyes, trying not to laugh.

“No way, Lou, go get your own,” he says through his laugh.

“That’s too much effort, Harry, we can just share yours and you can get more when we’re done.”

“That makes no sense, it would be easier to just get your own,” Harry is openly laughing now and trying to avoid the glances that Ed keeps sending him and Louis as they argue.

Instead of replying Louis uses Harry’s distraction to steal his fork and a giant bite of his spaghetti, slurping the noodles and getting red sauce on his nose and chin.

Harry squeels out a laugh and covers his mouth, which only makes Louis laugh harder with his mouth full of food. Harry feels stitches in his side from laughing so hard. After a few more moments he reaches out absently to rub the sauce from Louis’ face. Louis’ laughing stalls briefly as Harry’s thumb gathers the sauce and then he licks it off.

“Good god you guys, I might as well be watching Lady and the Tramp. I’m sitting right here watching you flirt and fall in love over spaghetti,” Ed says and Harry feels awkward and somewhat guilty that he had forgotten his other roommate was even there.

“Thanks for dinner, Harry but I think I’m gonna let you guys get back to... whatever it is that you guys are doing. See you later.” Ed picks up his empty plate and rinses it in the sink. Harry can hear him singing Bella Notte as he goes down the hallway to his room.

It’s quiet between them once they are alone. Louis is still holding Harry’s fork, which he then twirls on Harry’s plate for another bite.

“I’m still not getting my own plate,” he says before he takes a bite. Harry watches Louis chew with a smile that gives him little creases in the corners of his eyes. Harry only shakes his head and steals the fork from Louis’ hand.

“That’s okay, I don’t mind sharing.”

They eat two more helpings from the same plate. By the time the spaghetti is gone and Harry has cleaned all the dishes, Louis has curled up on the couch in the living room watching a movie.

Harry turns out the lights and pads over towards the couch and Louis raises his blanket in a silent invitation for Harry to join him. Harry shuffles in besides Louis and settles his legs under the blanket and his head on Louis’ shoulder. Louis wraps an arm around Harry without even taking his eyes from the screen. Harry closes his eyes and breathes in the sweet spicy scent of Louis’ cologne that lingers on his clothes from the day. Sitting this close to Louis makes it hard for Harry to really consider what Ed had told them about flirting and falling in love. Harry’s feels his heart skip a beat and hopes that Louis doesn’t notice. He glances up at him and sees that Louis is completely absorbed by the film flickering on the screen.

Louis notices Harry is looking at him and looks back at him. Harry smiles when Louis’ blue eyes meet his green ones. He loves the way the blue light from the television make Louis look like an angel. “Thought you were sleeping, Curly,” Louis says, looking back at the film again.

Harry only hums and closes his eyes again. _Flirting and falling in love over spaghetti._ They definitely aren’t in love, Harry thinks. But he also thinks maybe Ed is on to something.

Harry has feelings for Louis. The realization isn’t exactly a surprise for Harry in the way that it does not come with any anxiety or self-doubt. He has a crush on his roommate.

The movie ends and Louis clicks the television off and leads Harry down the hall to their room with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Louis changes clothes in the room while Harry takes his pajamas to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Louis comes in as Harry is spitting toothpaste into the sink. Harry rinses his mouth and smiles at Louis, who ruffles his hair and kisses his cheek. Harry turns a light shade of pink and escapes to his bed, turning off the lights as he goes. Louis comes in the dark room and shuts the door with a soft click. Harry listens as he settles into his sheets to get comfortable.

“Night Lou,” he whispers. He says these words every night but tonight it feels more like a wish than a formality.

“Night Harry,” Louis whispers just as softly. The two don’t speak anymore as they both drift into sleep. Harry falls asleep again with the scent of Louis’ cologne lingering around him and the memory of  the soft, quick press of Louis’ lips against his cheek.

Harry has a crush on his roommate. But maybe he’s not the only one.

☆☆☆

After two months of living in Orlando Louis thinks he’s finally figured out balancing working in the parks, attending the program classes and having a social life with his new friends. The only thing he hasn’t quite mastered is the intense heat and humidity. The first few weeks of January had been dry and cold and now all of the sudden it’s as if he’s living in Hades’ ass crack. It’s his day off and he’s planning on sitting around the room in his underwear while Harry is at work all day. He strolls into the kitchen just before noon to find Ed on the couch with his guitar and a plate of bagel bites.

Louis wanders over and plucks two off his plate and straight into his mouth. Ed looks up but doesn’t bother to say anything while Louis tries to smile with his mouth full. Louis sits on the floor playing on his phone while Ed strums out random melodies. If Ed minds that Louis is only clad in his boxers he doesn’t mention it.

_LOUIS. I finished training for Tower of Terror this morning!! I get to go on after my lunch!!!!!_

Louis laughed and smiled at Harry’s excitement.

**Congratulations, Curly !! Looks like you finally ended up in a Hotel that you can enjoy !! Haha !!**

Harry has his read receipts turned on and Louis sees that he reads it instantly. He watches the ellipses pop up and props his phone on the coffee table to wait for Harry’s reply.

_I may work in a hotel but this way I’m allowed to shoot the guests 199 feet into the air._

**Remind me never to get on ur bad side! ;)**

_Don’t think that’s possible!_

**Go eat ur lunch Harold. See you tonight :)**

Harry must take Louis’ advice because ten minutes go by and he doesn’t reply.

“How’s Harry doing?” Ed says, drawing Louis out his his Harry-induced haze.

“How’d you know I was texting Harry?

“You’ve got a stupid smile on your face and you keep glancing at phone like you think it’s gonna burst into flames,” Ed laughs, setting his guitar down on the couch next to him. He leans forward towards Louis with his arms on his knees. “You’ve got a crush on him.”

Louis looks down into his lap as he feels his face blush red, but he doesn’t deny it. He bites his lip and carefully meets Ed’s eyes.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Clear as day, man. Is there something go on between you guys I should know about?”

“No!” Louis says firmly, “I mean, we’re just friends and we live in the same room! I don’t want to make it weird,” Louis confides, less sure.

“Have you considered telling him? “Maybe you both feel the same thing and you won’t know until you ask, I’m just saying,” Ed says carefully.

Louis shakes his head firmly. “No. I’m going to stick to this weird flirting thing we do and if it happens it happens. I’m not initiating anything that doesn’t seem natural.”

“Yesterday you were watching Youtube tutorials about how to braid curly hair,” Ed challenges him with a look.

“He likes when I play with his hair, is all,” Louis shrugs. “I don’t know what to say, man. I really like him - friend and otherwise -  but we’re not anything more. I promise I’d tell you if there was more, we already agreed that I would.”

Ed looks at him hard for a few moments before his expression breaks and he laughs. “I know, I know,” he sighs. “Alright, then. Just make sure to use protection when you eventually do it.”

Louis squawks and kicks his foot under the coffee table. He stands up and picks his phone off the table going back towards his room.

“And not while I’m home, either!” Ed adds as an afterthought.

“Just for that I’m taking the rest of these!” Louis shouts as he steals the last of the bagel bites and runs to his room, slamming the door behind him.

_Wish me luck, Lou! I’m going out as a bellhop! :D_

**Good luck, Harry ! I know you’ll be great !**

Louis collapses on his bed and listens to Harry’s Mickey Mouse clock tick from the other side of the room. He can’t help as his chest swells with affection for the curly headed boy and Louis wonders not for the first time if he’s going to survive this internship after all.

☆☆☆

It’s 1:30 in the morning and Louis is completely fucking exhausted. He loves his role on The Great Movie ride but he could probably go ten years without seeing any of the movies on the ride and still be able to tell you the plot. (But who is he kidding, he’ll probably put _Fantasia_ on to fall asleep tonight.)

He stumbles in the front door and doesn’t even bother turning on the lights. He figures that everyone is sleeping because according to their schedules pinned to the fridge all three of his roommates have opening shifts tomorrow. He quietly fumbles down the hall and into his room, shutting the door quietly behind him and expecting to hear Harry’s soft snores.

Instead what he sees when he turns around is Harry’s face illuminated by the glow of his laptop perched beside him on the bed. The sheets are bunched around his feet and his hand wrapped around his cock, stroking it quickly.

He doesn’t seem to notice Louis at first and Louis slaps his hand over his eyes and turns away toward the wall on his side of the room.

“Um, hi Harry!” Louis says frantically.

“Oh fuck, Louis!” Harry shouts. Harry slams his laptop shut (with the hand that isn’t wrapped around his cock), Louis trips onto his bed as the room is plunged into total darkness and Harry’s grunting pants are the only sound to be heard.

It’s quiet for an astonishingly awkward 30 seconds where neither of them say anything. Louis’ heart is racing and so he can only imagine how Harry’s doing. But then he starts to imagine how Harry’s doing and how the split second he saw Harry’s dick felt like an eternity, so hard and red and leaking and wow he needs to stop and address this right away.

“So um. I thought you would be sleeping.”

Harry coughs. “Couldn’t sleep tonight.”

“Right.”

It’s quiet again for a few more seconds.

“I’m gonna…” Harry says, then Louis hears him shuffling and then the door opens and shuts quickly. Louis hears the bathroom door close and the shower starts up. He sits up in the dark room and turns on his lamp. He makes quick work of removing his work clothes and throwing a t-shirt on. It’s a hot night in April but he’s willing to sweat if only so he does not have to be naked right now. He pulls the duvet up to his chin and wills his aching dick to go down, refusing to touch himself after this series of events.

If he didn’t have a problem before, he does now.

☆☆☆

“And then I just sort of escaped into the bathroom and… you know… finished.”

Gemma bursts into laughter on the other end of the computer screen. Harry pouts but he has a hard time hiding his smile given how hard his sister is laughing at his expense.

“It’s not _that_ funny, Gems.”

Well, maybe it is.

“Shut up, yes it is. Tell me though, did you think about him while you, you know?” She makes the jerking off motion with her hand and wags her eyebrows at the same time.

“GEMMA!” Harry sputters and Gemma laughs even harder.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Honestly Harry, that’s the most embarrassing thing I’ve heard in my entire life even for you,” she says.

Harry glares at her but his resolve doesn’t last long.

“Thing is, it hasn’t even been weird. He laughed it off in the morning and just told me that we’re all healthy boys and that it was to be expected, so,” Harry trails off.

“Harry, you really like him, don’t you?” She asks gently.

“Well, yeah, I think I do. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had and it’s crazy I’ve only known him for 2 months. I feel like it’s been so much longer,” he confides.

“What about him? Does he like you?”

“I mean, yeah? He cuddles me and teases me, and he does that with everyone but it’s different with us. I think we both know there’s something there we’re just both waiting for the other to say something. I think it’s a waiting game at this point, if I’m honest,” Harry laughs.

Gemma gears up to say something but she’s interrupted by Louis crashing through the door.

“Get up and get dressed Harold, we’re going out!”

“Ooooh is it a date?” Gemma wags her eyebrows suggestively. “I thought you said you guys were just friends, Hazzy?”

“It’s not! We are!” Harry sputters. Louis is smirking at him and his sister is a traitor.

“Sadly, no, dear Gemma. It’s not a date. At least not tonight. It’s our dear friend Jade’s birthday and we’re all going out to celebrate,” Louis says. He looks determined as he flicks through Harry’s closet and set of drawers, pulling out a dark green shirt and black jeans which he then tosses at Harry’s face.

“Hey! Stop it!” Louis ignores Harry's whining as he hops around their room trying to shove his feet into a pair of dirty Converse sneakers.

“Literally we are leaving right now Harry, and you are absolutely not missing this so get your tush up this instant,” Louis says with a quick smack to Harry’s back side.

“Looks like you’re busy now, so I guess I’ll talk to you later, Haz,” Gemma says with a smirk and a teasing lilt to her voice.

“Yeah, love you Gems, talk to you later,” Harry tells her and they stick their tongues out at each other before the screen goes black.

“Chop chop, Harold, the night is wasting away!” Louis runs out of the room before Harry can say anything else.

Harry grumbles while he changes from his comfortable grey joggers to the tight black jeans and t-shirt Louis picked out.

“Niall! Ed! Wait up, we’re coming!” he hears Louis shouting.

“Hurry up! Jade and the girls are already downstairs!” Niall shouts back.

Harry walks into the living room just in time for Louis to shove a shot glass into his hand. “Bottoms up, buddy. Need to get the most of out this 30 seconds of pre-gaming.”

“Where are we even going?” The words are out of Harry’s mouth before he even has the chance to regret them. And by the look in Louis’ eyes he is definitely going to regret something about this night.

“Two words. Karaoke bar.”

 

 

The bar they stumble into is loud, dark and crowded. Louis looks ecstatic, bouncing on his heels and pushing his way through the crowd at the bar to get drinks. Niall, Ed and Liam all follow Louis to the bar and Harry laments being the baby of the group. Perrie and Jade each take an arm and lead him over to a corner of the room where there’s an empty table top. The three of them are joined by a few of Jade’s friends that Harry greets.

“What song should we sign up for first?” Perrie giggles. Niall rushes over and delivers a tray of shot glasses, kisses Jade square on the mouth and runs back toward the bar with a vague ‘I’ll be right back!’ thrown over his shoulder.

The girls all squeal and crowd around Jade. She passes out the shots amongst all them and on the count of three they knock them back. Harry has to hide his grimace at the foul-tasting liquid. Putting his lack of drinking experience aside, Harry really does not like whiskey. Harry zones back into the conversation where Perrie and Jade’s friends Leigh-Anne and Jesy are talking rapid speed about song choices and Harry can’t fit a word in edgewise. Perrie notices and sidles up beside him, placing her hand on his arm. He startles and gives Perrie a sheepish grin.

“You and Louis should do a duet,” Perrie says. The other girls must have heard and they all turn their attention towards Harry. He thinks briefly that he hasn’t had this much female attention since he announced to his entire sixth year class that he liked boys and could all the girls PLEASE stop sending him love notes.

“Erm… I mean, I could ask him…” Harry says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I dunno if he would want to sing with me.”

“Of course he does!” Perrie laughs. “Besides, it would be the cutest thing to watch the two of you up there.” Jade, Leigh-Anne and Jesy all agree and start picking out couples songs for them.

“So how long have you two been dating?” Jesy asks.

“We aren’t, actually,” Harry mumbles, his face turning red.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Jesy rushes to say. “I just assumed because Perrie said-”

“What do you mean Perrie said?” Harry says, pinning Perrie with a narrow eyed glare.

“Listen babe, I didn’t say that you guys were one thing or another but please don’t lie. You have a crush on him and you know it,” She challenges. They hold eye contact for a few tense seconds before Harry breaks it and lets out a long-suffering sigh.

“You women are ruthless, Jeez. Okay! I confess. It’s true,” Harry sighs. It feels freeing to finally admit it out loud and to someone other than his pillow or his sister. He loves Gemma but to fully understand the Louis-crush one has to know Louis Tomlinson. The girls squeal and pet at Harry’s hair and face, reassuring him that they won’t tell but they’re sure he likes Harry back. All of their praises start to make Harry feel like he’s floating. Either that or the alcohol is starting to kick in.

“You should tell him, babe!” Perrie urges. Jesy agrees and Jade pipes up. “I could get Niall to talk to him for you!”

“No!” Harry shouts. “Please don’t get anyone else involved. If I say something I want it to be between me and Lou first,” Harry begs them. “It’s so weird to have a crush on your roommate and I don’t want to ruin things.”

“Harry, love, it’s alright.” Jade coos. Harry’s face feels like it’s on fire and he hasn’t figured out if it’s from the blatant humiliation of admitting your crush to a bunch of beautiful girls or simply the three shots of whiskey he’s taken.

He’s saved from having to answer when Niall, Ed, Liam and Louis all pile in around the table. Niall kisses Jade’s cheek and sets a cocktail down in front of her, Liam and Ed passing out glasses and Louis pouring from a pitcher of amber ale.

The group drinks and chats for a while, all of them getting up intermittently to perform a song. Niall and Jade go up and sing a sickeningly sweet version of A Whole New World that has the rest of the girls sighing wistfully over their drinks. Harry sneaks a glance at Louis who he finds is already looking at him. He can’t help the smile the creeps onto his face, neither one of them looking away from the other’s eyes.

Ed surprises everyone by slamming back his drink when the DJ calls his name to perform. Ed brings the house down with his cover of No Scrubs with nearly everyone yelling the lyrics along with him.

Everyone is laughing and having a great time. Niall leads the bar in a joyful round of happy birthday for Jade, who turns a very brilliant shade of red and hides her face in her hands. Niall leaps off the stage when the song is finished and kisses her until wolf whistles are sounding in the far corners of the bar.

Louis slings his arm around Harry’s neck and pulls him down to talk into his ear. Harry tries to ignore the giggles and winks coming from the girls around the table.

“I wanna sing something, Curly!” Louis shouts. He’s much too close to be shouting in Harry’s ear but Harry doesn’t want him to take his arm from his shoulder. God, he’s pathetic. Hopelessly crushing on his roommate with no end in sight.

“Go ahead and sign up, then,” he says, poking Louis in the stomach. Louis catches on to Harry’s finger and holds his hand, squeezing it tightly. Harry wills his heart not to beat out of his chest.

“Wanna sing with you,” Louis whines. “You’re more fun than by myself!” Harry looks away from Louis batting his long, long eyelashes at Harry and meets Ed’s eyes from across the table. He’s watching the two of them with an unreadable look on his face and Harry has to look away before he lets his self-conscious thoughts take over.

“Oooh, a duet!” Perrie shouts. “Do a musical! A Disney song might be a bit cliche to start us off, I think we’d need more alcohol first,” she giggles. Jesy and Leigh-Anne both nod in agreement. The girls turn to Jade who is otherwise preoccupied with Niall’s tongue in her mouth.

“Couples,” Leigh-Anne sighs. The girls all sigh in agreement. Harry almost forgets that his hand is locked with Louis’. Louis either doesn’t seem to notice or doesn’t seem to care as he engages in a conversation over the best musical songs with Liam.

“None of those songs are good enough!” Louis complains. “I want someone to write me and Harry the perfect song! Ed, you always have a guitar. Do you think you’re up for the challenge?” Louis says quite seriously.

Ed laughs and finishes the last of his beer and reaches for the pitcher again.

“Believe me when I say that there is more than enough material for me to write plenty of songs about the two of you.”

Niall, with his arms looped around Jade’s waist bursts into uncontrollable laughter and buries his face into the side of Jade’s neck. Ed just smirks at Louis and then Harry before reaching over to fist-bump Niall.

Louis slowly lets go of Harry’s hand and removes his arm from around his neck. Harry tries not to let his disappointment show on his face.

“Right then. Well I’ve got an idea for a song. C’mon Curly, we’ll put our name on the list.” Louis reaches for Harry’s arm and grabs hold of his elbow, effectively dragging him away from the still giggling group. Niall sends them a wolf whistle and Louis flicks his middle finger in response. Harry feels less and less in control by the minute as his heart flutters high in his chest.

Louis pulls Harry towards the karaoke booth and tells him to wait as he gives the DJ their song choice. Harry feels like his head is spinning from the combination of alcohol and Louis’ attention.

“Only two more songs then we’re on!” Louis shouts, turning back to face Harry. “This is going to be great!” Harry blinks, slightly confused and turns back toward the group of his friends that are all giving him encouraging shouts and hand gestures from across the bar.

A bartender walks by with a tray of shots and Louis takes two, dropping a wad of dollar bills on the tray. He hands one to Harry and clinks their glasses together.

“Bottoms up!” Louis shouts and they they tip back the shots. Harry winces but swallows the burning, sugary sweet shot down.

“What was that?” Harry asks, placing the empty glass back on the bartender’s tray.

“Buttery nipple,” he replies.

Louis bursts into a laugh and tweaks Harry’s nipple. Harry yelps and covers them with his hands.

“Lou! Stop that! I’m sensitive!” Harry whines.

“I know! The other week when I walked in on you wanking you had one hand on your dick and the other right here!” Louis flicks at his nipples again and Harry feels the pit of his stomach drop down to the floor.

“I thought we had an unspoken agreement that we were never going to discuss that again!” Harry says, his face flaming red.

“Honestly Harry, we’re men! We share a room! Please don’t believe that I haven’t been wanking while you’re not home!” Louis shouts.

Harry thinks this is the worst possible time to be having this conversation. They are both tipsy and their verbal filters are down. Harry’s embarrassed and wants nothing more than to sink into the floor and forget that ever happened.

“I’ve never caught you with you dick in your hand though!” Harry says petulantly.

“That’s because I wank in the shower like a normal person with roommates!” Louis laughs. “Or when I know for certain you won’t be home for a while. You had to have known I would be back soon!”

“I guess I lost track of the time,” Harry says. The thought briefly crosses his mind of wanting Louis to catch him. Even though he hadn’t thought about explicitly getting caught jacking off, he had gotten off thinking of Louis after the fact.

“I’m glad we could have this talk, Styles!” Louis says. Harry grimaces and Louis laughs again, but the tension is broken. “We’re next!”

“Lou I don’t even know what song we’re singing,” Harry says he Louis once again is dragging him by the arm, this time towards the karaoke stage.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Louis says with a wide smirk. Louis reaches out a hand to curl through Harry’s hair, sliding it down the back of his neck and squeezing lightly. Harry thinks that he’d probably sing I’m a Little Teapot right now if Louis asked him to.

A microphone is put into his hands and he realizes how sweaty his palms have become. The crowd in the bar is loud and not paying them much attention aside from their group of friends that are still shouting their names.

“Just one more thing,” Louis says, leaning in to whisper in Harry’s ear. “I’m Danny Zuko.”

Louis dashes away just as the opening notes of the song begin and Harry’s face automatically breaks into a grin. The music is bouncing and the lyrics are lighting up on the screens overhead, but Harry knows that he won’t need to read them.

Louis sings the opening notes to his favorite Grease song and is met with a round of whistles and applause as he belts out the lyrics. Harry’s heart is pounding hard in his chest as he licks his lips and prepares to give his solo.

“You better shape up, cause I need a man,” Harry sings. The crowd is cheering and he can see Perrie, Jade, Leigh-Anne and Jesy all abandon the table to rush the front of the stage.

Louis is grinning wildly at him and Harry forgets that he’s performing in front of hundreds of people as his entire world is narrowed down to only Louis.

Harry turns and walks towards the opposite end of the stage and Louis is quick to follow. He grabs Louis by the shoulder and walks him backwards as their solos come together and the chorus starts. Louis’ eyes are bright as they lock onto Harry’s.

They are in the center of the stage standing face to face just inches apart, leaning back and forth as they both sing.

_“You’re the one that I want! The one that I want!”_

The entire bar is filling in the chorus lines headlined by the girls laughing and blowing kisses at Harry and Louis from the front of the stage. Niall comes and joins them, wrapping Jade in a hug and swaying with her to the song. Harry sees as Liam and Ed join the group, pushing their way through the crowd that has formed at the stage behind the girls.

Harry focuses his attention back on Louis when the boy reaches his hand out for Harry’s. Harry takes it and laughs through the next lines of the song as Louis spins him like they are dancing a waltz. Louis holds his hand for the rest of the performance as the song comes to an end. Louis holds their joined hands up between them and takes a bow.

He gestures to Harry and Harry giggles, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins from the thrill of performing with Louis. Harry takes his bow and the crowd erupts into cheers again. Louis leads Harry off the stage and over to the booth in the back where they had originally been sitting.

Harry wraps Louis in a tight hug the moment that they are away from the spotlight and back in their booth. Louis is still laughing and wraps his arms around Harry just as tight, squeezing their bodies together until their is no space between them.

“That was amazing, Harry, you were amazing!” Louis says.

Harry knows that his face is red from the heat and the excitement but he hopes Louis doesn’t see how he makes him blush.

It isn’t long until the bartender is making last call for drinks and the crowd is wearing thin. The group makes their way towards the doors and out towards the lot of cabs waiting for patrons to leave the bars.

They all make it back to the apartment complex after a few minutes of creatively dividing themselves up amongst cabs in order to split the fare evenly. Harry feels tired and sleepy from the alcohol but he’s sobered up. Unlike Louis who had taken three tequila shots with Niall while a random bar-goer drunkenly shouted Shots in the karaoke mic.

Harry manages to get himself and Louis from the cab up to their apartment with Ed and Liam leading the way. Liam had decided that he was going to crash on their couch instead of walking all the way to his own apartment which was on the other side of the apartment block.

Louis is leaning heavily on Harry, stumbling through the living room and down the hall, murmuring words to himself that Harry doesn’t even bother trying to decipher.

“That’s great Lou, we’re almost to your bed. Keep walking now,” Harry sooths him. They finally reach their room and Louis seems to realize they are home. He strips down to his underwear and climbs into Harry’s bed. Harry tries not to let it show how he’s secretly pleased that Louis would seek comfort from Harry’s bed instead of his own.

“Is it a sleepover tonight then, Lou?” Harry jokes. He takes off his grimy club clothes and pulls a random t-shirt from the floor over his head. The shirt is soft and gray and a bit too small to be Harry’s but it’s too late for him to care.

Louis is already asleep, or pretending to be, so Harry crawls into his bed. He’s sandwiched between Louis and the wall with not very much space and Louis has taken his pillow. He rests his head on his arms and exhales shakily, eyes roaming over Louis’ features lit only by the dim streetlamp streaming through the blinds.

“Night Lou,” he whispers. He lightly traces the edge of Louis’ face, admiring his dark eyelashes that fan across his cheekbones while he’s peacefully sleeping.

Harry turns towards the wall to try and get comfortable when he feels Louis’ arms wrap around his middle. He pulls Harry back to against his chest so they are sharing the pillow and covers in the middle of Harry’s small bed.

“Night, Harry,” Louis says softly. Harry’s heart beats harder in his chest with embarrassment at being caught. As he’s falling asleep he thinks he might feel Louis kiss the back of his head.

☆☆☆

It’s mid afternoon the next day when Louis finds himself wrapped in the sheets of Harry’s bed. Except Harry is nowhere to be found. Louis frowns and rolls out of the bed, landing in a heap on the floor. There’s a glass of water and two pills on the table next to Harry’s bed that Louis takes gratefully.

After making a stop in the bathroom to empty his bladder and brush his teeth, Louis makes his way out to the living room. He finds Ed and Liam are playing FIFA on the X-box. Harry still nowhere to be seen.

“Morning sleeping beauty,” Liam says without looking away from the game.

Louis ignores him and curls up in the lazy chair, wrapping one of Harry’s throw blankets around himself. He watches the two play the game for a few minutes and waits until he can’t stand it anymore. “Where’s Harry?” Louis mumbles.

“Got a phone call and I guess he didn’t wanna wake you. Took a walk,” Liam says. Ed scores a point and Liam curses.

“Oh,” Louis says. He’s biting his tongue with questions about some of the fuzzier parts of last night but his head is still pounding in the back of his skull.

The game ends and Ed cheers, gloating loudly about how Liam can never win against him.

“Will you stop please, my head is killing me,” Louis whines, hiding his face in the blanket. He was hoping that coming out here would lead him to Harry who he could persuade into making him breakfast. Now he’s out of bed with no breakfast and no Harry. Liam and Ed could suck it.

“I’m not surprised, dickhead, you drank half the bar,” Ed retorts. Liam cackles and Louis groans in frustration.

“When is Harry coming back, he’s the only one I like,” Louis laments.

“Oh we know, Tommo. You made sure to tell us all last night on the car ride home. Multiple times,” Liam says.

Louis peaks his head out from under the blanket.

“Did I really?” He asks carefully.

Liam bursts into laughter after a moment and Louis rolls his eyes.

“No, but you might as well have. You and Harry were stuck together all night, especially after that duet,” Liam says, wiggling his eyebrows at Louis.

“Just because you can’t get a girl to like you back doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with flirting with your friend,” Louis argues back.

“Are you guys still just friends, though?” Ed chimes in.

Louis looks at him in surprise and holds his gaze.

“What do you mean, Ed?”

“I opened your door this morning to get some of Harry’s Tylenol and you were both asleep in his bed. In my experience ‘friends’ sleep in different beds,” Ed raises an eyebrow.

Louis sighs and throws pulls the blanket up higher around his neck.

“I think,” Louis starts slowly. He can see Ed and Liam are staring at him waiting for whatever Louis is going to say.

“I think I really like Harry,” Louis continues, “ and I think he might like me back. We haven’t talked about it, but it’s just a feeling. So. I’m not sure where to go from here,” he says honestly. Louis is an open person but talking about his feelings is taxing, even for him.

“Lou, just ask him out,” Ed says. “There’s only a few weeks left in the program anyway. You might as well.”

Louis blinks. There’s only a few weeks left? He hadn’t even been keeping track. The months went by so quickly, living in Harry’s space and working in one of his favorite places. He’s truly been living in a time warp and he only has a few weeks before it all ends.

“You’re right,” Louis says. “You’re right! I have to do something! I can’t waste another fucking day,” Louis says. He throws the blanket off and rolls onto the floor. He’s still a bit hungover and not entirely sure what he’s doing, but he only has Harry for another few weeks and he wants to acknowledge the chemistry between them before it’s too late.

They all look up as the door opens and Harry walks in. He’s turning his phone over and over in his hands and only looks up after he’s half way through the living room.

“Harry! I have to talk to you!” Louis shouts. He’s still in a heap on the floor.

“Okay..” Harry says slowly.

“Not here though!” Louis says. He can feel Liam and Ed smirking at him but he’s only watching Harry’s face. Harry’s eyebrows furrow but he shrugs his shoulders. Good, Louis thinks. He’s always so agreeable. That’s one of the things he likes about him. Maybe he’s still a bit drunk.

“Outside,” he remembers to say. “Let’s walk and talk outside.”

“I’ve just been on a walk, though, Lou,” Harry sighs.

“More walking, it’s good for your heart.”

Louis scrambles back to their room to throw on real clothes and slip into his shoes. Harry is standing by the door when he returns and he ushers him out with a hand on the small of his back.

“See you later, boys!” Ed yells over his shoulder.

“Be good!” Liam shouts

 

Harry leads them down the stairs and around the back of the apartment building. They walk side by side to the small duck pond that sits in the center of the complex. There’s a bench under a palm tree that they sit on.

“So how are you feeling? Better?” Harry asks him.

“Yeah, loads. Well, I have a headache but yeah I’m okay. You?”

Harry picks at his fingernails and looks up at Louis briefly.

“I’m alright.”

Louis waits for a few moments to see if Harry will offer him anything else. When he doesn’t Louis reaches over and puts his palm on Harry’s knee.

“What’s wrong harry? You seem sort of off.”

Harry sighs and curls into Louis’ side. Louis instantly wraps an around around Harry and holds him for a few minutes before Harry says anything.

“My dad was called me,” Harry eventually says. “He wants me to take a position at the hotel in London with him.”

Louis’ heart stops. “London?”

“Yeah. After the internship is over I really don't have another job. It’s either move to London or he wants me to start paying back all of my student loans. I can’t do that, Lou.”

Louis swallows the lump in his throat.

“Well, you could find a job I’m sure of it. You don’t have to leave the country!”

“I know I could,” Harry says. “I want to talk to my mom about it and see what she has to say.”

“Yeah. that’s a good idea.”

It’s quiet between them as they sit on a bench by the pond and watch the ducks.

"What are your plans, Lou?"

"Hmmm?"

"For when this is... for when we go home?"

Louis wants to say that he's going to sneak into Harry's suitcase and board a plane to London with him. He wonders briefly what the largest suitcase size available may be. Then he remembers Harry is expecting a real answer. He makes a mental note to Google suitcase size restrictions later.

"Oh, well. I have an interview with one of my mum’s friends when I get back to boston. She works in a school and they have an opening for a history teacher. I figure I could get involved in the theatre there if i get that job," he tells him. His mum had been so excited she she called him about this job offer last week. Louis had been excited, too, but he hadn't been excited to tell Harry. The truth of it is that it made the time they had left together feel so small.

Harry must have felt the same by the way he gives Louis a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"That’s great, Lou."

"Thank you, Curly."

Louis thinks about the impending reality of having to move back to Boston and get a job. And now on top of that, Harry could be moving all the way across the sea. Suddenly he doesn’t want to waste any more time. He has to tell harry.

"Harry," Louis says, nudging the boy. Harry has his eyes closed with his head resting on Louis' shoulder. 

"Hmm?" He replies sleepily without even opening his eyes.

Louis takes a deep breath. "I like you."

Harry opens green eyes and Louis' heart skips a few beats. "I like you too, Lou."

"No, I mean," Louis runs a hand through his hair and Harry sits up, sensing that this conversation is important to Louis.

"I really like you. I have feelings for you. I want to tell you because you're my best friend and I can't wait another day when we're running out of time."

"Lou," Harry breathes. "I have feelings for you, too. I think I have for a while now, if I'm honest," Harry says. His cheeks have gone a beautiful shade of pink and Louis wants to kiss him.

"I kind of thought so, love. You're a bit obvious," Louis says with a smirk.

"Hey now, you confessed first!" Harry smiles.

"Confessed? It's not like we've stolen anything!"

"Except you with my heart." Harry bats his eyelashes and Louis pushes his shoulder. The two laugh and then Louis opens his arms and harry falls into them once more.

"So now that we’ve discussed this and we know it’s mutual, would you like to go on a date with me, Harry Styles?

"What like now?"

"No, not now. I’m hungover and I haven’t even showered. How about tomorrow? We both have the day off again."

Harry nods against Louis' chest.

"Do you think you’d like to accompany me to the Magic Kingdom? All these months and we still haven’t gone to see the fireworks."

Harry bites his lip to try and hide his smile, which only makes Louis smile too. 

"I’d like that, Lou," he says. 

"Can I kiss you?" Louis breathes, pressing his nose into the side of Harry's face. Harry giggles but turns away, pulling out of Louis' arms.

"Before the first date? Hmmm, I don’t think so, Tomlinson," Harry says, not trying to hide his grin.

Louis' mouth hangs open in shock.

"Are you serious?!" he laughs.

"Absolutely! You’ve got to woo me first, I’m not that easy." 

"You are a menace, Harry Styles."

"I know," Harry says kissing his cheek. "But you like me."

Harry stands from the bench and skips away.

Louis rubs the spot off his cheek and chases after him. They both break into a run, laughing and yelling the whole way back to their apartment.

 

They spend the rest of the day cuddled on the couch watching old romantic comedies. Niall comes home late into the evening and joins them, wagging his eyebrows at their close cuddling.

The pair blush but don't say anything.

They get ready for bed just after 10 in order to prepare to wake up early the next morning. They brush their teeth side by side and Harry makes faces at Louis in the mirror. Louis is struck again with the urge to kiss him.

Just as they are getting ready to turn out the lights and go to sleep, in their own beds tonight, Louis stops Harry from turning off the lamp.

"So, I know you want to wait until after our date for me to kiss you," Louis says nervously.

Harry nods. "Yes, I do. But I also want you to know that for the record, I really want to kiss you too."

Louis giggles and sweeps his hair out of his eyes. "Does that mean you'll let me hug you goodnight?"

"I guess that would be okay," Harry says with a smile on his pink lips.

Louis crawls out of his bed and sits on top of Harry's, scooping him into his arms and plunging his nose into the curls at the bottom of Harry's neck. 

"Goodnight, Curly," Louis says, letting Harry lay back into his pillows. "Sleep tight."

"Night, Louis."

Louis goes back to his side of the room and slips back into his own bed. He faces Harry as Harry smiles at him, the soft lamp light making his green eyes glow. Louis smiles back and falls asleep nearly instantly after the room is clicked into darkness.

☆☆☆

The next morning Harry wakes up bright and early. Louis is already up and Harry hears the shower running. They don’t speak much as they get dressed and make their way towards the shuttle buses running towards the magic kingdom. Instead they exchange shy looks and pretend not to notice when they catch the other one staring.

The take the ferry boat across the lake to the entrance. Louis leads Harry up to the second level of the ferry boat and holds out his hand for him.

“Give me your hand and close your eyes,” Louis says.

“Are you my Leo, Louis?” Harry giggles.

“Shh, play along! Keep your eyes closed, don’t peek!”

“I trust you,” Harry recites dutifully.

“Alright, open your eyes!”

“I’m flying! Louis, I’m flying!”

Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s waist and Harry turns to look into his eyes. Harry knows that this is the part of the movie where Jack and Rose kiss, but the morning has only just began and he’s not ready. Louis noses at Harry’s cheek and Harry turns, letting Louis kiss his temple instead.

“You’re really not gonna let me kiss you until the end of this, aren’t you?” Louis says. He’s smiling which Harry lets Harry know that it’s okay and that he’s going to wait until Harry wants it.

“It’s going to have to be magical, Louis.”

“Don’t worry, love, it’s going to be. I’m willing to wait until the end of time if that’s when you’ll be ready to let me kiss you,” Louis says. Harry blushes at the sincerity in the tone of his voice.

“I don’t think it’s gonna be the end of time, Lou,” Harry says. “Just… when the moment is right.”

“As you wish, darling.”

They disembark the ferry at the entrance to the main gate and make their way inside. They forgo the maps and times guides, having been around the park enough times to memorize it.

“So where to, Curly? It’s your day, after all,” Louis gestures to the bustling park in front of them and Harry feels a sweeping rush of affection.

“It’s our day! But since you offered, let’s do Adventureland first.”

The pair head off and explore Adventureland. They start with the Jungle Cruise and Harry cackles at all of the puns, which makes some of the other passengers around them smile too. Louis insists that they hunt for the Pirate’s treasure map, which they do two different routes. They sit squished together in Splash Mountain where Louis gets soaked and Harry only has a few patches.

They decide to take a break for lunch while they wait for Louis’ clothes to dry out. Louis takes Harry to a hideaway Mexican food tavern for lunch where they order nachos and tacos. They take the food to a nearby table outside and begin to eat.

“Here cutie, have a nacho,” Louis says as he attempts to hand feed Harry chips covered in cheese. Harry eats the nacho and his lips brush against Louis’ fingers. He doesn’t imagine the way Louis’ eyes grow darker. They finish off their lunches quickly after when they hear the sounds of the parade starting.

 

After the parade, Harry buys them each an ice cream cone and they walk through Fantasy land with their pinkies brushing. Harry looks to Louis and catches his eye, blushing after the third time of their hands accidentally touching. 

Louis gently rolls his eyes and takes Harry's hand into his own, lacing their fingers. 

"If you wanted to hold my hand all you had to do was ask," Louis teases him.

"Shut up." Harry blushes but does not pull his hand away. They finish their ice cream and meander through the crowds of people without having a plan. They have both been to the park enough times to do the rides they really enjoy without stressing about hitting every attraction. 

They walk until they find themselves in front of Peter Pan's Flight. Harry knows that Louis loves this ride because of the original animatronics and how it made him feel like he could fly. Harry also knows that the queue for this ride is always outrageously long because of how few boats there are on the round. Unfortunately the high wait time is the price you pay for the original structure.

Louis looks wistfully at the ride and Harry knows that he's not going to suggest they do it. He's already decided that they're going to wait through the queue anyway when they hear someone calling both of their names. Harry looks over to where Jade called them from the Fast Pass queue a small ways from the standby lane. Harry grins at Louis, who returns it in full force before they make their way towards Jade, hands still firmly laced.

"Well look at who we have here! My two little ducklings!" Jade coos at them and gestures to their intertwined hands. 

"Hello Jade," Harry says with a smile. Her eyes are twinkling as she meets Harry's and she gives him a private wink.

"Just the two of you?" She says.

"That's right! Finally decided it was time to woo him," Louis says, swinging their hands slightly.

"Fancy a flight around London?" She says, gesturing towards the Peter Pan attraction behind her. 

Harry watches as Louis finally takes in that she's wearing the colorful, striped uniform and matching sunhat that the Peter Pan attendants wear and his eyes light up. Louis looks hopefully towards Harry who nods enthusiastically.

She lets them in through the Fast Pass line and Louis skips through the queue. Harry turns back to Jade beaming at them. He mouths _'thank you,'_ and she gives him a small thumbs up.

 

The rest of the afternoon and evening is filled with skipping from ride to ride, singing all of the relevant songs whenever they passed a particular character. They wait in line for pictures with Tiana and Naveen. They are the last in line and when it reaches their turn, Tiana notices their hands still linked together and gives them a smile. 

"Are you boys having a good day?" Tiana asks them. Harry nods and asks her for a hug.

"Why, of course, sweetheart!" Harry drops Louis' hand and wraps his arms around the beautiful princess. He squeezes and Tiana laughs, holding Harry tightly too. 

"Careful there, that's my Evangeline you're squeezing," Naveen says, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. He lets go and steps back.

"You don't have to worry, pal," Louis says, reaching to put his hand on Naveen's shoulder. Harry laughs simply because Naveen towers at least a head taller than Louis.

"He's _my_ Evangeline," Louis says and Naveen gives him a solid nod. The pair shake hands and Harry's heart melts. 

"I'm glad that you were able to find each other without turning into frogs," Naveen tells them. 

"Well I can't speak for this one but I for one exhibit no frog-like qualities," Louis says. 

"Hey! I am _not_ a frog, Louis!" Harry says indignantly. 

"Whatever you say, Kermit." 

Harry sticks his tongue out at Louis. 

"See, you're catching flies!" 

Harry pouts and Louis just reaches for his hand. Harry feels his face warm when both Tiana and Naveen link arms and wave at them as Harry and Louis stroll away from their hidden garden glen. 

 

They wander through the gardens in near the end of main street and watch as all the people settle around in spots to watch the fireworks. Harry is still smiling and one look at Louis shows a matching smile on his face. 

"Well, love, is there anything else you want to do that we missed? I think we've just about covered it," Louis asks.

"It really has been perfect," Harry says. "Especially our picture on Buzz Lightyear."

"I just wanted to defeat Zurg!" Louis complains. 

"I'm just kidding, Louis, it was cute," Harry laughs, kissing Louis' cheek.

Louis blushes and Harry realizes how close they are standing. His hand is still locked into Louis' and he hopes that he can't tell that it's starting to get sweaty. 

Louis' eyes flicker down to glance at Harry's lips and Harry feels himself inching closer and closing his eyes. His breath hitches and he thinks that this might just be the moment-

_"And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, let your imaginations run free as we proudly present Celebrate the Magic!"_

The lighting around them all dims as Cinderella's castle is illuminated in beautiful lights. The music starts and Harry gasps.

"I forgot about this, Louis! I haven't seen this before!" Harry says excitedly. "Let's get closer!" He runs through the crowds until they are centered with the castle, leaning against a railing by a rose garden. 

☆☆☆

Louis has spent the entire day with Harry in the most magical place on Earth but he was not prepared for the way that Harry's face lit up when the lights were projected onto the castle. 

Standing there in the garden, surrounded by thousands of people in the hot, humid air of Florida Louis thinks that he might be in love with this beautiful boy. Louis exhales a shaky breath and grips Harry's hand tighter in his own. Harry looks to him and smiles, dropping his hand to link their arms instead. Harry leans his head onto Louis' shoulder as Tinkerbell flutters about and Jiminy Cricket encourages everyone to follow their dreams.

They watch the castle flash brilliant colors as a melody of everyone's favorite songs plays throughout the loudspeakers around the kingdom. Halfway through the show, the images all fade away and the castle is transformed back to its original form. Then the music transitions to a tiny, golden lantern is shown floating up the castle.

Harry lifts his head and gasps, his eyes going wide. 

"Louis, this movie is my favorite," Harry breathes. His eyes are shining with the reflection of the images as he watches the projection of hundreds of lanterns that fly all over the castle in honor of the lost princess. "Oh, Louis, look. How lovely."

Louis doesn't look at the castle, though. He keeps his gaze trained on Harry. Harry turns when Louis doesn't respond and they look into each other's eyes.

"Louis," Harry says. He licks his lip bottom lip unconsciously and Louis leans his head slowly towards Harry. 

"Harry," he says softly. "Is it now?"

"Yeah." 

He watches Harry's eyes close and Louis finally closes the distance between them, pressing their lips together. Harry's lips are soft and he smells like ice cream. It's a sweet kiss, their surroundings keeping them from going much further. Louis presses another peck to his lips, pouring all of the emotions from the past few months and hoping that Harry can tell exactly what he's trying to say. He must succeed in this because Harry breaks the kiss just as two small fireworks are shot into the sky.

"Do you want to go?" Harry asks shyly. 

"But the fireworks haven't started yet," Louis says, blinking. Why would Harry want to leave before they even get to see the show they were there to see?"

Harry gives him a look and moves his hands to Louis' waist, slowly trailing them down and slipping his hands into Louis' pocket. 

"We'll see them from the monorail," Harry shrugs. "I thought we could beat the crowds if we went now." He ends his statement by pressing himself against Louis. Louis' eyes widen when he understands what Harry is trying to ask.

"Yes! Yes you're right!" Louis says quickly. Harry wants to take him home. Oh, Jiminy Cricket, you magical bug, you.

"So we'll go?" Harry asks.

Louis responds by grabbing his hand and weaving them out of the crowd towards the park exit.

☆☆☆

Their apartment is graciously empty when they get home. Louis might have sent Niall and Ed a warning message between stealing kisses from Harry on the bus. Even so, they shush each other as they stumble into their room and close the door behind them. It’s dark when they tumble down onto Harry’s bed. Louis reaches over and flicks on the bedside lamp.

Harry’s lips are soft and sweet and so, so delicious. Louis groans into it, leaning down and tilting his head slightly to take Harry’s bottom lip between his teeth. He nibbles it and and runs his tongue along the bottom, asking for permission for more.

Harry responds, instantly accepting Louis and reciprocating the kiss sweetly. He seems perfectly content to let Louis take control, because after all Louis was the one who started all of this in the first place, even though the feeling is mutual.

Louis kisses him for a few moments more then breaks it, pressing soft and sensual kisses to Harry’s lips and moving down to Harry’s neck and to a spot just under his ear. Louis buries his face into the soft spot as the curls falling loosely tickle his nose. He inhales deeply and smells the sweat from the day  spent outside and chocolate ice cream they shared.

Harry is soft and warm under him and Louis runs his hands over the fabric of Harry’s loose t-shirt and moves down his body. He stops when he gets to Harry’s jeans and glances up to Harry. Harry has his head propped on the pillow and nods at Louis when he silently asks permission to pull the material down.

Louis makes quick work of undoing the zipper and removing his jeans and underwear, deciding not to waste any time. He undoes his own jeans and tosses them off the side of the bed along with his shirt. He taps Harry’s bottom gently and Harry complies easily, lifting up for louis to pull away his pants. They’re both naked save for Louis’ boxes but Louis quickly tosses them down to the floor as well and doesn’t give himself time to think twice before he takes Harry’s half hard cock in his hand and is stroking him. Harry’s cock has a pleasant thickness and an impressive length, so it was something to be admired.

“I’ve wanted to compliment you on your cock ever since I saw it when you were wanking,” Louis says. “So beautiful, Harry, can’t believe I get to be here with you like this.”

“Louis for the love of god,” Harry growls and Louis lets out a shocked laugh.

“Shh, love it’s alright,” Louis says, kissing his stomach and down to his hip to hide the flush that was creeping up in his own cheeks.

“Wanted you for so long,” Harry says.

“You’ll have me,” Louis says just before he closes his lips over the head of Harry’s cock.

Louis swirls his tongue around the sensitive head. He sucks at it shallowly while using his right hand to stroke the shaft of his dick and his left hand firmly gripping Harry’s thigh. He runs his fingertips up and down Harry’s thigh to feel the goosebumps that raise in his wake.

“Oh, oh Lou,” Harry breathes and Louis feels Harry’s body fully relax. Harry’s head falls back heavily into the pillows. Louis continues working Harry’s cock and moves his right hand so both of his hands are on Harry’s body. He takes more of Harry into his mouth, inching down and back up, taking more in each time he goes down, trying to fit as much as he possibly can in his mouth.

Louis pulls off and takes a few deep breaths. He sees Harry lift himself on his elbows and watch as Louis’ chest heaves air into his lungs. The look of awe and adoration on his face makes Louis want to dive back in.

Louis leans forward and presses a kiss to the corner of Harry’s mouth before scooting down and taking Harry’s cock into his mouth again.

He bobs down half way just a few times before he relaxing his throat and bringing his lips all the way to the base. His nose brushes the dark curly patch of hair and he feels Harry shiver. Harry reaches and takes Louis’ hand into his own, lacing their fingers. Louis looks up at Harry through his eyelashes. He pulls up to take a breath and uses his free hand to work the parts of Harry’s cock that his mouth isn’t covering.

Harry was still gazing at him, sitting propped up on his elbows but he was openly panting, letting out soft groans and gasps occasionally. Other than a few small twitches in his thighs Harry was keeping very still and hadn’t tried to force himself into Louis’ mouth at all. Louis bobs slowly half way down before stilling in his ministries to meet Harry’s eyes again.

“Lou?” Harry breathes and Louis blinks and gives a slight nod to Harry to tell him it was okay. Harry leans his weight to the arm holding Louis’ hand and brings his other hand up to cradle Louis’ cheek. Louis’ eyelashes flutter as Harry gives a gentle thrust of his hips. Louis moans and closes his eyes as Harry grows more confident.

Louis stays still as Harry thrusts steadily into his mouth before losing control and stuttering and pushing farther into Louis’ throat. Louis chokes and sputters when Harry hit the back of his throat. Harry stops instantly and Louis takes a few deep breaths.

“Keep going, love,” Louis rasps and squeezes Harry’s hand as he takes Harry’s dick between his lips again. Harry groans and cups the back of Louis’ head as he fucks up into Louis’ mouth. Louis reaches between his legs to wrap a hand around his own aching cock.

Harry notices Louis taking hold of himself and groans deep in his chest as pace stutters just a bit. He sits up and pulls Louis completely off his dick with a wet popping sound a trail of saliva linking Louis’ chin to Harry’s cock. Harry maneuvers Louis so he is straddling his lap and both of their hard cocks are pressed close and leaking together. Harry wraps one of his large hands around both of their hard lengths, pulling the foreskin down and rubbing the heads together.

Louis moans loudly and squeezes Harry’s hand, hard. His other hand still tangled in Louis’ hair as he pulls both of them off with sharp tugs and a firm grasp. It doesn’t take long before Louis feels the familiar tug and he lets out a high-pitch whine as he came over Harry’s fist. Come leaks down Harry’s hand and onto both of their cocks.

Harry pulls Louis’ face to his own, slamming their lips together in a bruising kiss to swallow Louis’ noises. Just as soon as their lips meet Harry was comes too, painting both of their chests in long stripes as they struggle to catch their breath.

They come down slowly, the bruising kiss melting into soft and slow kisses that make Louis sleepy as the high of his orgasm wears off. Once he catches his breath and opens his eyes fully he finds Harry staring at him with hooded eyes and a small smile on his face.

They clean up together in the shower and take turns washing each other’s backs. Louis lathers shampoo into Harry’s hair and then massages his scalp as Harry kisses along Louis’ collar bones, his chest, his stomach and all the way down until Harry is on his knees.

They leave the bathroom half an hour later shivering as the water had run cold. The burrow underneath the duvet together in Louis’ bed, not wanting to bother with the mess that is currently covering Harry’s bed.

Harry rests between Louis’ legs with his head pillowed on Louis’ chest. Louis strokes a hand through Harry’s damp curls and traces circles on his hip simultaneously.

“I feel like it took us forever to get here,” Harry says.

“I don’t think so,” Louis hums. “I don’t think I would have felt right being with you if we had jumped straight into this when we first met,” Louis says.

“But now I feel like we wasted so much time and now it’s almost over,” Harry whispers.

“Who says it’s almost over? I mean, Boston to London is only…” Louis falters. “Very far actually. Hmmm. Well, I could drive to New York to see you when you’re home?” Louis tries. “Maybe your parents would let me stay in your hotel while I’m there,” Louis jokes.

“The hotel,” Harry says sitting up.

“Yeah, babe, the hotels? I was just joking, you know, trying to make light of it- umph!”

Harry presses a firm kiss to Louis’ mouth and then another one after that. Louis puts his hands on Harry’s face and kisses him softer and then places another soft peck on Harry’s cheek.

“What was that about?” Louis laughs, tucking a stray curl behind Harry’s ear.

“What if we don’t have to be apart?” Harry says and Louis’ breath hitches.

“Harry,” Louis breathes, not daring to get his hopes up about what Harry is implying.

“I know you want to be near your family and you have a job offer at the school,” Harry says. He twists the ring around his middle finger and doesn’t meet Louis’ eyes. “I could move to Boston to work in the hotel there. It’s not my dad’s first choice but I know that my mom could talk him into giving me a suite to live in. And you could come over whenever you wanted!”

Louis watches as the boy in front of him rambles nervously and he can’t help but smile and kiss him.

“Sounds perfectly wonderful to me, love,” Louis says.

☆☆☆

**One Year Later, Boston, Massachusetts**

"Lou? Honey, are you home?" Harry shouts, kicking off his shoes as he shuts the front door behind him. It was just after 5 in the afternoon and Harry's last shift of the week just ended. They were still living in a suite in the hotel Harry's family owned, but now Harry was starting culinary school. They had saved money over the past year, Louis working as a teacher and Harry being the assistant manager of the hotel. His mother had been thrilled that Harry had finally decided to take charge of his life and was over the moon with Harry's decision to start culinary arts. His father had been less excited that he was leaving the family business, but was proud of his son no matter what. 

"Bedroom, love," he heard Louis call out. Harry shrugs off his suit jacket, laying it over the couch on the way to the bedroom. Louis sat reclining on the bed with his legs straight out in front of him, bare feet crossed at the ankles. His computer on his lap in front of him, Louis smiles as Harry comes into the room.

Harry climbs onto the bed and presses a kiss to Louis' lips in greeting. 

"How was your day, love?" Louis asks him. 

"Ridiculous as usual," Harry laughs. "I'm excited for our vacation next week, though. It will be so weird to go to Disney as just a guest and not a cast member." They had decided to take a break before Harry starts classes began and their life took an exciting new turn. He nuzzles into the side of Louis' neck and Louis wraps his arm around Harry. Harry lays his head on Louis' chest.

"What are you looking at, Lou?"

Louis hummed and clicked to open up his emails to show Harry. "Ed sent us a few songs to preview from his new album," Louis says. "Here, read what he says."

Harry reads the email and laughs.

_Louis and Harry -_

_Thanks for being the most obviously in love pair of friends that I have ever met. I seriously cannot believe how obnoxious the pair of you were before you got together. These songs are for you. The next time we get together maybe you can sing them at karaoke._

_Wishing you all the best,_

_Ed._

"Should we play them?" Louis asks.

"Now or never," Harry responds. 

Louis presses a kiss to Harry's head and clicks play. They both smile and giggle as they listen to the lyrics and melodies flowing out of the speakers.

"Sounds like we were an inspiration, babe!" Harry says. "I'm so proud."

"I love you," Louis says. He leans to press a soft kiss to Harry's lips as the songs Ed wrote for them play. 

"I love you, too." Harry smiles into the kisses and holds Louis close, thinking how lucky he is.

And it all started with a mouse.

**Author's Note:**

> Well there we have it! Please know that I took a few creative liberties with this story. 
> 
> For starters, I really do know the Disney parks inside and out, and while I have been there countless times I have not ever worked for the company. All of my knowledge of The Disney College Program is from friends that have participated and from my own research. 
> 
> Also, I know that Jade's birthday is not in spring but in December. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please let me know if you enjoyed it. This is the biggest piece that I have ever completed and I'm very proud of it. 
> 
> On tumblr: lourryintheam 
> 
> Come say hi!


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